Pilot Awards

The CTSI provides pilot funding for innovative translational research and the development of innovative translational research methods at BU. This encompasses the continuum from the development of new therapies and diagnostic tests to studies of the population health impact of health interventions.

As all Pilot Translational and Clinical (PTC) pilot projects must have clear paths to translation and commercialization, the program includes entrepreneurs and business executives from relevant industries as reviewers and project advisers. For example, the Coulter Translational Partnership, the Ignition Award, and NIH NIBIB Center for Future Technologies in Cancer Care programs include on their grant review panels individuals with extensive industry and entrepreneurial leadership experience in pharmaceutical development, biotechnology, or biomedical engineering. One of the CTSI’s advisory committees that offer stakeholder perspective and advice, the Biotechnology Advisory Committee, generally focuses on risk–benefit analyses for pilot award funding for applications with a technology base.

PURPOSE OF THE CTSI PILOT GRANT PROGRAM

To stimulate individual and team science in all areas of translational research related to the prevention, diagnosis, and management of human disease. Researchers engaged in basic research, patient-oriented research, implementation science research, and population-based research are encouraged to apply. The CTSI welcomes applications that are at all levels of development including:

T1 research that develops novel treatments and interventions by expediting the movement between basic research and patient-oriented research leading to new or improved scientific understanding or standards of care.

T2 research that tests the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions through patient-oriented research and population-based research leading to better patient outcomes, the implementation of best practices, and improved health status in communities.

T3 research that promotes dissemination and implementation of research for system-wide change through movement of evidence based-guidelines into clinical practice.

T4 research that promotes discoveries in population science.

PURPOSE OF THIS SPECIFIC RFA

This RFA cycle is open to ALL members of the BU/BMC community. In, specific, this RFA also represents a collaborative effort between CTSI and partner organizations to fund meritorious research applicable to the components noted below. Applications must be responsive to one (or more) of the following:

CTSI General FundsAny CRC or BUMC faculty member may apply to this funding element. All areas of investigation are eligible.

Department of Medicine (DOM)The CTSI and DOM will co-fund meritorious applications from faculty with primary appointments in the Department of Medicine.

BU School of Public HealthInterested faculty from SPH are directed to respond to the BUSPH Pilot award RFA. Information can be found here.

Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical CenterThe BMC Grayken Center and CTSI are pleased to co-sponsor one Pilot award in the field of addiction science, open to any faculty member at BUMC or BU-CRC.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must have a primary, full-time faculty appointment at Boston University, and the research to be conducted must be based at Boston University, Boston Medical Center or any of their affiliated hospitals and health centers. Faculty with co-appointments at BU and affiliated institutions are also encouraged to apply.

Recipients of previous CTSI awards are eligible to apply for awards to support new research projects, providing awards are at least two years apart

Applications from individuals of under-represented minorities are highly encouraged to apply

AVAILABLE FUNDING

Direct costs up to $20,000 may be requested. The level of funding awarded to successful applicants will be determined after review of the budget request and budget justification. Funds may be used for any purpose to support the proposed research. Typical expenses include:

Laboratory supplies

Animal costs

Small equipment

Patient recruitment costs

Consultants

Support for pre/postdoctoral students, technicians, or research assistants.

Funds may not be allocated to PI or Co-I salary. Awards are not transferable to any other institution (sub-awards are not allowed). Department of Medicine awards must be spent by the end of the fiscal year in which they are awarded. Pilot grants are not intended to supplement existing funded awards. Significant overlap in Pilot grant Aims with Aims from a funded grant must be disclosed and justified at the time of submission.

REGULATORY APPROVAL

The BU CTSI is funded through a CTSA grant available from the NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). Prior to the release of Pilot Grants funded directly with CTSI funds, NCATS requires the review and approval of all BU CTSI pilot grants involving research participants. If your proposal is funded and involves research participants, the CTSI will require additional documentation for NCATS. NCATS reviews take approximately 30 days.

Human Subject approval is not required at the time of submission;However, IRB approval is required for all projects involving human subject research before NCATS will approve project funding.

We strongly advise all Pilot grantees to begin the IRB/IACUC approval process at the time of final grant submission. If you are selected for funding, you will be required to provide your IRB/IACUC approval before funds are released to you. If, at the time of notice of award, you have not submitted your IRB/IACUC application, you will be required to meet with a CTSI IRB/IACUC consultant within 2 weeks and expected to follow a strict timeline for regulatory submission. An award may be rescinded for failure to secure IRB/IACUC approval 3 months after notice of award.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

PRE APPLICATION PROCESS - Step 1

Pre-applications (or Notices of Intent, NOI) require a short abstract (Abstract describing the pilot project (less than 250 words) along with NIH formatted biosketch for the PI. Pre-applications can submitted here.

Pre-applications are reviewed by a faculty committee comprised of the Full Review Panel Chairs and representatives of the BU CTSI Leadership Team.

The review committee makes recommendations as to whether or not an applicant will be invited to submit a full proposal. The objective is to (1) establish the feasibility of the proposed research in the 1-year timeframe of the award and (2) assure that regulatory steps required permitting research activities are complete in a timely manner.

Applicants are notified via email if they are invited to submit a full proposal

The process for submitting a full application is below

Specific reviewer feedback will not be provided at the NOI stage of review

To submit a pre-application you must first submit an NOI, go here to submit the NOI. Once the NOI is submitted you will receive an electronic notification which allows you to enter the electronic portal to start the pre-application process. You may access the application at any time after submitting your NOI by going here.

Other relevant supporting documentation (optional) may also be included if it’s relevant to the application

You may access the application information submitted during the pre-application process at any time after submitting your NOI by going here.

Full-Applications will be meritoriously reviewed by BU CTSI Scientific Review Committees (SRC) comprised of faculty with relevant expertise analogous to the NIH review process (with focus on Significance, Innovation, Approach, and Investigators). All applications will be reviewed and ranked for funding priority. Specific review criteria include, but are not limited to:

Significance of the work in terms of potential health impact

Scientific rigor and novelty of the proposed approach

Likelihood that the project will lead to subsequent external funding and/or commercial development

Multidisciplinary collaboration

High potential for impact in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of human health conditions in broad terms. Projects closer to translation will be prioritized over more preliminary projects that are further from translation.

Qualification of the research team

Need for the funding

Likelihood that the project can be completed within the awarded project

Although not required that applicants be junior investigators, the review process will consider career development.

Although not required, other features that may increase a project’s priority include:

A clear translational focus, including a collaboration with a patient oriented science research team

Focus on diseases disproportionately affecting the BU/BMC patient population

Approved IRB or IACUC protocols that would permit initiation of research activities as soon as possible

RESOURCES TO ASSIST WITH YOUR PILOT GRANT APPLICATION

The CTSI offers an array of research resources in support of research at BU and we strongly encourage CTSI Pilot Grant applications to use these valuable resources. Some examples include the following:

POST AWARD

If funded, the awardee agrees to submit an online report after the end of the award term indicating key results and any publications, grant applications, funded awards that resulted from the project, new collaborations, and other outcomes. Additional abbreviated reports will be requested on an annual basis for 2 years following completion of funding. Any follow on funding depends on prompt and accurate progress reports. Awardees will be contacted regarding the report, once needed.

Awardees must acknowledge the CTSI grant, the language provided below is recommended:

“This publication [or project] was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through Boston University Clinical & Translational Science Institute Grant Number 1UL1TR001430. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”

Awardees are expected to serve on future CTSI Pilot Grant Application Review panels and to provide feedback on the CTSI pilot program

Awardees may be asked to participate in CTSI related symposia or other functions

WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES

We encourage inquiries concerning this RFA and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants. Direct your questions to:

Fall 2016 PILOT AWARDS:

In January, the CTSI announced the Fall 2016 pilot awards. The CTSI received 80 proposals from investigators across BU. A total of 39 investigators were awarded $360,000 in pilot awards funded by the BU-CTSI, Boston Medical Center; The BU School of Dental Medicine; The BU School of Medicine and the BU-BMC Cancer Center. Congratulations to all recipients!